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The nation's highest-rated women's tennis player has decided to step away for the remainder of the 2025 season, admitting she is at her “emotional and mental threshold.”

Factors Leading to the Announcement

The tennis professional, who earlier switched her citizenship to represent Australia, blamed the move for contributing to immense “mental and emotional strain.”

Other reasons included the persistent struggle of being away from her relatives and the relentless tour schedule.

“I've been far from fine for a considerable period and, honestly speaking, my results and performances demonstrate it,” she shared on social media.

She stated, “Honestly, I've hit a wall and am unable to proceed. I need a break. A rest from the repetitive routine of the tennis circuit, the travel, the results, the expectations, the regular competitors (apologies, ladies), everything that comes with this life.”

Individual Challenges and Upcoming Goals

“There's only so much I can deal with and take as an individual woman, all whilst facing off against the leading players in the world.”

“If this makes me weak, then so be it, it's true. That said, I know I am strong and will get stronger by being away, resting, recalibrating and renewing. The moment has come I listened to myself for a difference, my mind, my feelings and my health.”

Kasatkina decided to change allegiance after leaving her nation due to apprehensions about her well-being, having publicly spoken against the nation's anti-LGBTQ+ laws and the conflict in Ukraine. Originally based in the Middle East, she relocated to Melbourne and secured long-term status in early this year.

She subsequently became engaged to companion an ex-Olympic athlete, who secured a second-place finish for her birth country at the 2018 Winter Olympics after initially participating for her native Estonia.

She further mentioned she has been unable to visit her dad, who still lives in her homeland, for four years.

Tennis Journey

A major tournament contender in the past, the player had ended the last four calendar years in the elite group but is currently ranked 19th after a mixed season where she had a near-even record.

She is projected to exit the elite rankings by the time the next Grand Slam arrives.

The 28-year-old announced she aims to resume in 2026, “refreshed and prepared,” with the lead-in to her local Grand Slam probably acting as a comeback goal.

Industry Impact

The nation's second-ranked player is Maya Joint, ranked 35th globally.

Kasatkina is the most recent leading female player to withdraw from the tour, following other prominent players, amid a growing pattern of players retiring mid-match.

The WTA obligates top competitors to participate in a required schedule, encompassing the four grand slams, premier tour stops, and lower-tier matches.

But elite competitor the Polish star remarked recently, “There's no way to accommodate everything the schedule. Perhaps I will have to select some events and miss them, despite the fact that they are required.

“It's essential to plan wisely about it - perhaps ignoring about the rules and just focus on what's healthy for us.”